Rai's First Christmas
by celtic7irish
Summary: Cadis Etrama di Raizel has never celebrated Christmas before.
1. Chapter 1

"Frankenstein."

His master's soft voice interrupted the blond's quiet contemplation during tea. Blinking, Frankenstein looked up at the other man. "Yes, Master?" he asked, wondering what could be so important that Raizel would actually speak during teatime.

Crimson eyes met his, and Frankenstein could see the other man's curiosity even before he asked his question. "What is a Christmas tree?" Frankenstein froze, his eyes widening.

"Master?" he asked weakly, not sure he liked where this was going. His master couldn't possibly be thinking what he thought he was, could he? Just thinking about the mess that a live tree would make in his house was giving him a headache.

Rai was seemingly ignoring him. "The children spoke of it today. They mentioned picking out a Christmas tree and then decorating it with…baubles and tinsel," he said, the words as unfamiliar to him as the holiday tradition itself. "And they put gifts under it," he added as an afterthought. Frankenstein suppressed his groan ruthlessly. The next time he saw those children, he was going to have a long and serious talk with them.

His master eyed him reproachfully, and Frankenstein dropped that thought as quickly as it had come. Of course, he'd be happy to have the children over for Christmas. Perhaps he'd even buy them gifts. Bibs for the two boys, for example. He'd pick out something a little nicer for the girls, since they at least tried to be careful when they ate.

Smiling brightly, Frankenstein answers his master. "Of course I've heard of a Christmas tree, master. You would like one to use in our celebrations?" he asked. Raizel nodded, and that was it. There was no way to avoid the mess now. The Noble went back to drinking his tea, warm waves of affection and contentment coming across their bond.

Frankenstein thought while they finished their tea, and as soon as his master had left, he pressed the intercom button. "Tao, please report to my office," he ordered brusquely. He got an immediate confirmation and switched it off, sitting back and linking his hands on the desk in front of him, waiting.

Less than two minutes later, the door opened, and Tao sauntered in, followed more cautiously by Takeo and M-21. Frankenstein just smiled; good, that would make things easier. "You needed to see us for something, Boss?" the youngest one asked, grinning at him. Frankenstein hadn't specified that he wanted to see all three of them, but Tao seemed to know when to bring the other two along. He really was quite suited for society.

Leaning forward, he stared at them for a moment, and then offered them a slow smile. Takeo and M-21 tensed, looking ready to bolt, and even Tao fidgeted uncomfortably. "Ah, yes. I would like to request your help on a small project," he said at last.

The three men looked at each other uncertainly. Takeo shrugged, and M-21 looked indifferent. "Sure, boss. What do you need us to do?" Tao asked, always the spokesperson for his quieter companions.

"My master would like to celebrate Christmas with the children this year," he stated bluntly. "As such, we will require suitable decorations. A tree, and presents as well," he added pointedly. The other three men looked confused, and Frankenstein nodded to himself. If any of them had every properly celebrated Christmas, they certainly didn't remember it now. "I trust you to find the information you need and to make the appropriate arrangements." He very nearly purred the last words, and watched in amusement as the three enhanced humans tried to hide their anxiety. If he was going to have to suffer, then they would share in the suffering with him.

M-21 surprised them all when he smiled. "All right," he agreed. The other three men stared at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "What? I've celebrated Christmas before. It might not have been much, and we couldn't really get each other anything, but I am aware of the holiday itself, and some of its traditions. M-24 and I were going to have a proper Christmas last year," he admitted in a low voice, and Frankenstein could see the barely concealed pain those memories evoked.

Standing, he tapped his hand on the desk, giving them a welcome distraction from M-21's morose thoughts. "Good. Then you should have some idea of what would be appropriate. I trust Tao to figure out the rest," he said. The computer hacker gave him a salute, then the three of them turned to leave. "Oh, and Tao?" Frankenstein called out, just before the other man left the office. When Tao turned back to look at him, he gave his scariest smile. "My master would also like tinsel on the tree." Tao gulped, but nodded, and Frankenstein finally let him go.

Sitting back down in his chair, Frankenstein turned to stare out the window where the first snowflakes of the season were flurrying down, assured that the three men would guarantee that his master would have a wonderful Christmas with the children. And that they'd find a way to prevent it from making a mess.

Frankenstein smiled and leaned back. A wonderful Christmas, indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Takeo, put that away!" Tao chastised the sniper, who just shot him an irritated frown, but nonetheless holstered his gun. "M-21, you can't use your claws to cut down a tree!" He rolled his eyes at their third member, who just shrugged, his hands shifting back to normal.

"I fail to see the point of this," Regis commented snarkily. "Why would you deliberately kill a tree for Christmas?" Tao just sighed, not bothering to explain that cutting one's own tree and decorating it was a long-standing human tradition. Regis would probably just give him the same look he gave them all when they did something inanely human and therefore useless.

He waved his hands, deciding to start over. "Look, I just want you to help me look for the perfect tree," he told Takeo. "You've got better sight than any of us. M-21, you make sure the tree isn't rotting or something," he told the other man, who just scowled at him. Tao kept his grin to himself; M-21 really hated to be reminded of how much more sensitive his nose was now that the werewolf heart had finally settled inside of him. "Regis, you…make sure the humans don't get too suspicious," he added at last. After all, they were hunting for a Christmas tree in the dead of the night, so as to avoid having to explain why they hadn't just shopped at a tree farm.

"If the humans will become suspicious just because of this, then perhaps this is not the proper way to go about finding a Christmas tree," Regis pointed out practically. Tao spared a brief moment of thanks that Seira wasn't here, because she'd probably be nodding in agreement.

Tao sighed, resigning himself to having to explain even the simplest concepts to his companions. "Look, _he _wants a Christmas tree. But it can't just be any old tree, you know. It has to be perfect, with pliable needles, and ones that won't fall off when we decorate it. It also has to have the proper fragrance. Trees on a farm are okay," he admitted, "but what's the point? They're only grown for a few years before they get cut down. We want a tree that's a bit older, and a bit larger," he said, thinking of the space in Frankenstein's house. The trees at the farm had all been at least two feet shorter than the house could handle, and if the Noblesse wanted a Christmas tree, then he'd get one. It was his first Christmas, after all.

Takeo wasn't paying attention to him, his eyes already scanning the forest of trees, his eyes picking out potential areas where they might find what they were looking for. M-21 just sighed, his nose crinkling up at the strong scent of pine and fir trees. Regis just looked bored.

Takeo shifted, and Tao knew what that meant. "Did you find something?" he asked the other man, who nodded. "Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" he urged them on excitedly, his eyes gleaming. Takeo took off, and they followed, hurtling themselves through the forest, easily dodging branches and thorns as they moved. Tao took a moment to appreciate how well M-21 moved in the forest, as if he belonged here. There was no movement wasted, and the other man seemed to revel in the freedom of running freely, without being under attack or threat of an immediate and untimely death.

They stopped somewhere near the center of the trees, and Takeo pointed one out. Tao moved towards it, eyeing it critically. It was about the right height, and looked pretty, but there wasn't any space between the branches. The ornaments wouldn't hang straight like they were supposed to, but at an angle. He shook his head; this one wouldn't work.

"M-21, can you find a fresh one near here?" he asked absently, not noticing the look the other man gave him at his question.

"This entire forest smells of pine, Tao," he pointed out snarkily. "And the trees are all still rooted in the ground." He sounded condescending, but Tao just grinned at him, undeterred by M-21's grumpiness. He was just sore that Tao liked to tease him about his sense of smell.

Looking around, Tao examined several more trees, but none of them met his criteria. Too tall, too short, too wide, not enough space between the branches, too dry, not flexible enough. "Well, that was a bust. Any other areas worth checking out?" he asked, looking around for his partner. Regis just pointed, and Tao chuckled; Takeo was already up in the tallest tree, probably checking around.

A moment later, he dropped back to the ground, running his hand through his hair to get the pine needles out of it. He grimaced at the sap on his gloves, and Tao just handed him a new pair. He was glad he'd made sure they were properly prepared for this excursion.

Taking the lead again, Takeo led them to another section in the forest. The trees here were slightly different, but still well within the realm of acceptability. Still, Tao eyed them critically before deciding that they wouldn't work, either. It had to be perfect.

M-21 perked up, his head turning towards the right, seemingly startled. The other two men tensed, waiting to see what had caught M-21's attention. Regis just raised an eyebrow, but he, too, looked around.

There was a quiet rustling nearby, and a moment later, Cadis Etrama di Raizel walked out from amongst the trees, his white school uniform impeccable and untouched by the nature around it. How could they have not noticed the white against the darkness? "Umm…Raizel-nim?" Tao asked, ignoring Regis' glare. What was he supposed to call the other man? Crimson eyes flickered in his direction before the other man walked past them, moving deeper into the forest. "Ah," Tao started, puzzled, "should we follow him, maybe?" he asked his companions.

Nobody answered, but they all moved forward as a unit, trailing after the Noblesse. Gradually, the forest got denser, and the foliage grew wilder. They were in a part of the forest that was mostly untouched by human civilization now. Raizel kept walking, and they continued to follow him, not entirely sure what was going on.

At last, Raizel came to a standstill, and they stopped with him. Tao saw where the dark-haired Noble was looking, and followed his stare. "That one?" he asked weakly, staring up at the monstrosity. He felt the others shift restlessly around him, none of them willing to tell Raizel that the entirety of Frankenstein's house simply wasn't big enough for the tree he had picked out. In fact, the mansion back in Lukedonia probably wasn't large enough.

Raizel glanced back at them, seemingly amused, then moved forward, and _around _the giant tree. Looking at the others helplessly, Tao followed, his companions trailing behind. There, on the other side of the large tree was a small opening in the forest. Standing in the moonlight to the right of the clearing was another tree. Tao peeked at Raizel, who was focused intently on the tree. "Umm…M-21?" he asked, gesturing the other man forward.

M-21 moved towards the tree with Tao, and the two men examined it, commenting softly under their breath. The tree stood at around eight feet tall, which would give them room for both the stand and the tree topper, whatever that might be. The branches were almost evenly spaced, with a sparser patch here and there that could be adjusted and hidden. Their pine needles were supple, and a gentle shake didn't drop more than a few to the ground. There would be a large tree skirt underneath to catch the needles anyhow.

He checked the trunk, then decided that he could probably adjust the tree stand to fit it. Or he could make one himself, it couldn't be that hard with the materials that were available to him. Besides, he already knew what Frankenstein would say if he was here. If this was the tree his master wanted, then this was the tree he'd get.

Standing, he nodded in satisfaction. "This will work. Good job!" he praised the other man, giving a small clap. A faint blush covered Raizel's cheeks at the praise, and Tao smothered a laugh. The Noble was just too adorable when he wasn't smiting their enemies.

Looking merrily at the tree that would soon take up residency in their home, Tao asked, "So, who's got the saw?"

There was no answer.

Tao sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hahaha! No, Rai! The star goes on the top! The top!" Shinwoo cried, his delighted laughter masking the sounds of his friends as they talked amongst themselves. M-21 glanced at the redhead before going back to what he was doing, setting another glass bauble on the tree, making sure it was steady before moving onto the next one. Frankenstein would not appreciate broken glass in his home.

Rai was gazing at the top of the tree with a thoughtful look. M-21 muttered to him in a low tone, "We'll use a ladder and put it on last." The dark-haired man nodded, his eyes shifting to watch M-21 instead. Without thinking, M-21 handed the Noble an ornament, already hooked. Rai took it wordlessly, then watched as M-21 hung a different one on a new branch. Imitating the silver-haired man, Rai set his own ornament on the tree. M-21 glanced at it, then decided that while precarious, it wasn't likely to shatter in the next thirty seconds, unless Shinwoo knocked it down with his antics.

A warm body pressed up against his back, and M-21 started as he realized that Shinwoo had managed to come around behind him. "Come have some hot cocoa with us, Ahjussi," Shinwoo offered with a grin. M-21 glanced around, realizing that the other children had disappeared. He could hear their laughter in the kitchen, and sounds of enjoyment. Whatever this cocoa was, it obviously delighted them.

Shaking Shinwoo off, M-21 glanced awkwardly at Rai, who wasn't looking at either of them. He had picked up another ornament, managing to get the hook on all by himself. He seemed to be pondering the tree, looking for the perfect spot. When he finally found it, he set the ornament on the tree with a dignified, satisfied air.

Next to him, Shinwoo snickered, his eyes dancing in merriment. "That's right, Rai! Is this your first time decorating a Christmas tree?" he asked. Rai nodded, and Shinwoo smirked. M-21 blinked; that look didn't bode well. "Well, in that case, we'll have to decorate the whole place!"

"Shinwoo!" M-21 hissed, horrified, but it was too late. Rai was intrigued, staring intently at Shinwoo. The redhead threw him a quick wink before walking back around the tree, intent on explaining just how one could decorate an entire house in festive cheer. M-21 just sighed; there was no way they were going to escape this now.

"Ah, Shinwoo?" Frankenstein called from the doorway. When the boy glanced over, Frankenstein smiled. "Your friends are wondering where you are. Perhaps you would care to join them?" Shinwoo just shrugged, then promised Rai to explain afterwards and headed for the kitchen, his boisterous voice immediately turning up the volume and excitement in the kitchen.

Frankenstein walked over to them. "Master," he greeted softly, handing the other man a mug filled with gently steaming liquid. M-21 could smell the chocolate, and realized that this must be hot cocoa. Frankenstein smiled over at him, and then held out a second mug, which M-21 took after a moment of hesitation, wrapping his hands around the mug, feeling the heat seeping into his skin.

Blowing on it gently, M-21 took a tentative sip. His eyes widened as he realized that Frankenstein had probably made this with actual chocolate. He fairly gulped the next swallow, ignoring the minor scalding on his tongue as the liquid slid down his throat. Oh, it was delightful!

He realized self-consciously that the other two men were watching him, and his eyes dropped to his mug as he ducked his head. Frankenstein just chuckled. "I am glad that it is to your liking, M-21," he murmured. M-21 peered up at him before nodding his head, murmuring a quiet thank you.

Frankenstein was looking at the tree, which was nearly decorated. Raizel had opted for red lights which were wound around the tree's limbs. The ornaments sparkled and shimmered in the light, throwing shards of color onto the floor and nearby furniture. "It looks lovely," Frankenstein approved, and M-21 smiled, pleased. He had been in charge of picking out the ornaments, so to hear that he'd done a good job was…pleasant. Certainly better than the brisk 'barely adequate' he used to get from his handlers at the Union.

"Frankenstein," Raizel said, and the blond looked over at his master. "There are more decorations for around the house." He made it a statement, and M-21 watched Frankenstein try to hide his reaction. "This is my first Christmas." M-21 blinked, finally realizing that Cadis Etrama di Raizel, the _Noblesse_, was guilt-tripping Frankenstein, the very scary human who wielded the abomination known as the Dark Spear.

And he could do that, M-21 realized, because Frankenstein belonged to him. Willingly, at that. There was nothing the other man wouldn't do for his master, and M-21 wasn't the least bit surprised when Frankenstein admitted that he did indeed have another stash of decorations waiting to be brought down after the tree was decorated. M-21 had known about them beforehand, since he, Takeo, and Tao had been sent to scrounge around the huge attic to find them.

The smile that Raizel gave to Frankenstein was filled with genuine affection, and M-21 turned his eyes away from the scene, his hands still wrapped around the cooling mug. He took a sip of the hot chocolate, then noticed a flicker of movement in the doorway to the living room. Shinwoo stood there, watching them quietly, a gentle look of affection that seemed out of place. Realizing that he had been spotted, Shinwoo crooked a smile at him and tilted his head, motioning M-21 over.

Having nothing better to do, and not wanting to disturb Frankenstein and his master, M-21 walked towards Shinwoo, pausing briefly in the doorway before moving past the redhead, aware that the other boy had turned back towards the living room.

"Merry Christmas," Shinwoo murmured quietly, then turned and left, following M-21 back to the kitchen, where their friends were waiting.

M-21 smiled. Merry Christmas, indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

"Yeah! All right! Where'd you find these, Principal Lee?" Shinwoo exclaimed, his eyes as wide as saucers and sparkling as he stared down at the only books he had any interest in. Tao smirked, and M-21 just sighed. The books on various fighting techniques that would suit Shinwoo's unique style had been his idea, but Frankenstein had agreed wholeheartedly, as had the Noblesse. Of all the children, Shinwoo seemed to get hurt the most, usually while protecting the others. He had also proven himself to be a better fighter than trained, non-enhanced combat agents. It was in their best interest that he remained that way. The boy was already a person of interest to the KSA and organizations like it, so the only thing they could do for now was to lend him subtle aid. Hence his Christmas gifts, written by Frankenstein - under a pseudonym, of course - with help from M-21, Takeo, and Tao. M-21 had, naturally, been able to offer the most insight, having been the first to meet Shinwoo and drag him partly into their world.

Frankenstein just smiled at the redhead indulgently. "That's a secret," he replied to Shinwoo's question. "Let's just say that I have some friends with an interest in such things." It hardly mattered that he'd evaded the question, as Shinwoo was busy eagerly devouring the books with an attention that he never displayed during school.

Ik-han was tearing into his own gift, his eyes sparkling with glee. In his hands was a state of the art laptop, its gleaming case cradled reverently in the boy's hands. M-21 could tell that the child was itching to power it up and start exploring. He was refraining only because the girls and Rai had opened their own presents yet. M-21 held in a smile, watching as Takeo nudged his partner. Tao was leaning forward in anticipation, as eager as Ik-han to start playing. Tao had loaded several traps and other surprises on the system for the young genius to solve, but the rewards would be a series of awesome programs, in addition to the knowledge and techniques to be gained during the process itself.

Yuna and Suyi had opened their gifts as well, exclaiming over them in a most delighted fashion. Cookbooks for Yuna, and a pass to see a famous lineup of models in America for Suyi. The girl had considered traveling to other countries after high school to advance her modeling career, and this would allow her to start fostering connections that would help her if she chose that path for certain.

Yuna's gift was far more practical, but no less amazing for all that. The girl had often praised Seira for her cooking skills, while lamenting her own inability to manage more than the basic necessities. She had agreed to a few cooking sessions with Seira, but they had turned into unmitigated disasters, saved only by Seira's exceptional abilities and the fact that nobody would say anything mean to either of the females, lest they be banned from sharing in the bounty. And so Seira had spoken to Frankenstein, who had suggested that perhaps the best way for Yuna to learn was to start from the basics.

The books she held in her hands were very detailed. Not only did they explain the basic ingredients and how they mixed together, but there were explanations as to why certain ingredients went well together, or notes indicating why the order and amount was important, and what might happen if they were added incorrectly or in the wrong quantity. Hopefully, it would help Yuna to understand the basic theories of cooking - something that Frankenstein was big on - and the books, combined with Seira's patience and serenity during their cooking sessions, would hopefully help Yuna to learn what she wanted to know.

The children ooh'd and aah'd over their presents and each others', but Shinwoo was the first to look up, grinning widely. "Awww...c'mon, Rai! Open your gift!" he encouraged, pointing at the small, wrapped box held delicately in the other man's hands. Raizel just stared down at the package before glancing back up at Shinwoo, waiting patiently. The redhead laughed. "You've never gotten a present before, Rai?" he asked, then gestured at himself and the others. "You saw what we did, right? You have to take off the ribbon and paper to get to the present inside."

He rubbed the side of his nose, blushing lightly. "Ah, the girls sort of picked it out, because we didn't know what you might like," he admitted. Raizel looked back down at the package, and M-21 held his breath, waiting to see what the other man would do. After a moment, a slender finger slid between the paper and the ribbon. Raizel's other hand tugged at the ribbon, and the bow came easily undone. Frankenstein nodded in approval while M-21 released the breath he'd been holding, grateful that the children hadn't knotted the ribbon or anything.

Just as carefully, Raizel located the seams and tape on the gift, slowly removing the wrapping paper to reveal a simple white box that fit neatly in the palm of his hand. Almost hesitantly, the Noblesse opened the box, staring silently down at the pair of earrings that lay within. Two beautiful silver crosses, with a larger ruby glinting at their center. They reminded M-21 of the earring seals that Raizel had worn - and broken.

Shinwoo, unable to keep his mouth shut, babbled at the Noblesse. "We noticed that yours were gone, and wondered if they broke, and so we thought that you might like some new ones," he said, his eyes more serious than M-21 had ever seen them. "Suyi and Yuna helped us to pick out the ones that you might like best, so we really hope you like them."

Raizel looked up at the children then, and they broke into wide, relieved smiles. M-21 glanced from them to the Noblesse, trying to figure out how they could read him so easily when his expression never seemed to change. "Aww...don't cry, Rai! Look, he's so touched by our present that he's about to cry!" Shinwoo pointed out. The others nodded, crowding around the Noblesse where he sat. Raizel blinked at them, then looked down at the earrings that still lay nestled in the box.

With deliberate movements, he removed one of the pair and attached it to his ear, blushing lightly while the children exclaimed over how the jewelry suited him, how it belonged there. M-21 watched them for a moment before realizing that Shinwoo had stayed apart and was now walking around the room, handing out more gifts.

Handing on to Tao first, he smiled. "This is from Ik-han," he said. "He hopes you'll enjoy it." Tao looked surprised to have received anything, then intrigued as he stared down at the tiny box and started guessing, muttering under his breath. M-21 refrained from rolling his eyes; if Tao would just open it already, he wouldn't have to wonder what was in Ik-han's present to him. Then again, he knew that Tao would just retort and tell him that guessing made things more interesting.

Another present was handed to Takeo, this one from the girls. Unlike his partner, Takeo didn't waste time guessing, but quickly unwrapped his gift, his fingers gently touching the long chain of a new hairpiece. It wasn't exactly the same as his previous one was, but it was close, and Takeo blinked rapidly before pulling his hair back and wrapping the cord around his hair. Yuna and Suyi smiled at him when he offered them a quiet thank you, obviously pleased that he liked their gift.

Frankenstein was holding another gift, halfway opened already, and M-21 wondered what was inside of it. Seira and Regis were back in Lukedonia, reporting to the Lord, so their presents remained sitting under the Christmas tree, where they would await the return of the two children.

Then Shinwoo was there, standing in front of him, a small wrapped gift held between his two hands. "This one's for you, Ahjussi," he spoke quietly. "I picked it out myself, so I hope you like it." M-21 accepted the box he held out, and Shinwoo's hands dropped, his eyes flickering briefly to the floor before the boy looked up again, smiling for a moment before walking over to join the others around Raizel.

Watching his hands - and carefully not looking at Shinwoo - M-21 opened his gift, cutting through the ribbon and paper quickly, then staring at a simple silver box. It was rather heavy considering its small size, and M-21 opened the box, unwilling to speculate what it might hold. Inside rested a small wolf, made out of pewter. The wolf's head was tilted back, howling up at an invisible moon.

M-21 lifted his gift gently out of its box, cradling it in his hands. The wolf was larger than he'd thought it would be, and far more detailed. Amber jewels gleamed as eyes, and the fur had been etched carefully into the metal. Fangs were sharp and delicate, and the entire piece gave off an aura of pride and loneliness, a single wolf howling at the moon, a pack animal desperately hunting for more of his own kind. M-21 felt his heart clench, the loss of M-24 and the other experiments a heavy burden.

"It's beautiful," Takeo observed quietly, and M-21 barely managed to avoid jumping at the other man's near-silent approach. Tao was peering around his cupped hands, smiling softly as he nodded in agreement.

M-21 swallowed, the pain retreating little by little as he realized that he wasn't alone. He had comrades here. People to protect, and people to watch his back. He had those who would help him, and those who could understand him. The children were innocent, but cared for them nonetheless, accepting their various quirks and oddities without concern or suspicion.

Feeling a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth, M-21 looked up to see Shinwoo watching him with anticipation. The others were watching as well, and even Raizel was staring at him, his gaze neutral, not judging him for his weakness. M-21 swallowed, his finger stroking along the wolf's sides. "Thank you, it's beautiful," he murmured.

Shinwoo grinned widely. "Merry Christmas!" he exclaimed excitedly.

M-21 just smiled, replying in the same manner. "Merry Christmas."


End file.
